Abt Sportsline will conclude a two decade-long relationship with Audi to accomplice with Lamborghini from the 2025 DTM season.
Having already joined forces with the Italian producer for the Nurburgring 24 Hours final yr, Abt will lengthen that partnership to discipline two examples of the Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 within the DTM subsequent tear as a part of a long-term contract.
The deal will see Abt be a part of Lamborghini’s roster of factory-supported groups from 2025, however an announcement concerning the motive force line-up can be made at a later date.
“We acquired to know and love one another in the course of the 24-hour mission. ABT Sportsline and Lamborghini are two manufacturers that match collectively completely; we’re obsessed with motorsport,” stated ABT Sportsline CEO Thomas Biermaier.
“This ardour can be felt in Sant’Agata Bolognese. Our motto ‘from the racetrack to the highway’ matches Lamborghini simply as effectively.
“The truth that we had been in a position to agree on a long-term cooperation and that Lamborghini will help us on the manufacturing unit degree within the DTM sooner or later is a crucial second for ABT Sportsline.”
Lamborghini already has the most important presence of any automobile producer within the DTM, supplying a complete of 5 vehicles between SSR Efficiency, Grasser and Paul Motorsport groups.
Its manufacturing unit driver Mirko Bortolotti, driving for SSR, is within the thick of the title battle with present Abt Audi driver Kelvin van der Linde forward of this weekend’s penultimate spherical on the Crimson Bull Ring.
In the meantime, Lamborghini sits second within the producers’ championship behind rival German marque Mercedes.
“Motorsport is a part of Lamborghini’s DNA,” Lamborghini Chief Technical Officer Rouven Mohr stated.
“Success on the racetrack is extraordinarily helpful for us as a sports activities automobile producer. The DTM has a particular which means as a result of it has many followers, not solely in Germany.
“To have the ability to work with probably the most profitable crew on this racing sequence sooner or later makes us very proud. We’ll help ABT Sportsline to the utmost and we’re satisfied that will probably be a really robust mixture.”
Ricardo Feller, Staff ABT Sportsline Audi R8 LMS GT3
Picture by: Alexander Trienitz
Abt’s choice to depart Audi for one more producer from the Volkswagen Group has left the fabled Ingolstadt-based marque and not using a crew within the DTM.
Audi had curtailed its long-running GT3 programme on the finish of final yr, lowering its involvement to a mere provide of spare elements and fundamental technical help.
This meant the top of factory-backing and monetary help, however Abt was in a position to stay with Audi within the DTM for 2024 after signing a brand new sponsorship settlement with vitality drinks large Crimson Bull.
Nonetheless, with Audi now not manufacturing the R8 LMS GT3 and disbanding its manufacturing unit pool of drivers, it was at all times anticipated that its current groups – together with Abt – would ultimately change to different manufacturers.
The information about Abt forging new hyperlinks with Lamborghini marks the top of the crew’s long-standing relationship with Audi that stretches again to the revival of the DTM in 2000.
Mattias Ekstrom, who additionally introduced his cut up from Audi this week, received each of his DTM titles whereas driving manufacturing unit vehicles for Abt.
